| SimCity 4 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Maxis i5works (Mac OS X) |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games Aspyr Media (Mac OS X) |
| Producer(s) | Kevin Hogan Sean Decker |
| Designer(s) | Joseph Knight Michael McCormick |
| Programmer(s) | Paul Pedriana |
| Artist(s) | Ocean Quigley David Patch |
| Writer(s) | Dorothy Bradshaw Tom Bentley |
| Composer(s) | Jerry Martin |
| Series | SimCity |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Mac OS X |
| Release | Microsoft WindowsMac OS X |
| Genre(s) | City-building |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
SimCity 4 is a city-building simulation computer game developed by Maxis, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts. The game was released in January 2003 for Microsoft Windows and in June 2003 for Mac OS X. It is the fourth major installment in the SimCity series. SimCity 4 has a single expansion pack called Rush Hour which adds features to the game. SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition contained the original game and Rush Hour combined as a single product.
The game allows players to create a region of land by terraforming, and then to design and build a settlement which can grow into a city. Players can zone different areas of land as commercial, industrial, or residential development, as well as build and maintain public services, transport and utilities. For the success of a city, players must manage its finances, environment, and quality of life for its residents. SimCity 4 introduces night and day cycles and other special effects for the first time in the SimCity series. External tools such as the Building Architect Tool (BAT) allow custom third-party buildings and content to be added to the gameplay.
SimCity 4 was praised for being the first game in the main SimCity series to primarily use a 3D engine to render its graphics, following the implementation of 3D graphics in SimCity 64 for the Nintendo 64DD. It received widespread acclaim, won several awards, and was one of the top ten selling PC games of 2003.[4] However, it was criticized for its difficulty and its demands on computer performance.
- ^ "What's New?". Eurogamer.net. January 17, 2003. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ McNewserson, Newsey (January 10, 2003). "SimCity 4 Soon". IGN. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ "Aspyr releases SimCity 4 for Mac OS X". MacDailyNews. June 27, 2003. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ "The NPD group reports annual 2003 U.S. video game industry driven by console software sales". NPD Group. Archived from the original on February 10, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.